Hello,

I am doing a months tour travel starting in Thailand for a few days then going to Cambodia, then vietnam, then Laos then back to Thailand for a few more days.

Will I need a visa for any of these places prior to going or can I get them at the borders?

Please give me any advice or experiences you've had with travelling around these places and visas.

Thank you

To begin, you would do well to let the forum members know which country's passport you will be using for travel. Each country may have different visa requirements for your nationality. As a US citizen, I have not had any problems getting a visa on arrival for Cambodia or Laos. You may even apply for a Cambodian visa online, but I don't recommend it. Thailand allows US citizens to enter for 30 days without obtaining a visa. I haven't been to Vietnam, so you can do a web search for their visa requirements for your nationality.

If you intend to arrive in Thailand without a visa you should make sure that your airline will allow boarding without a confirmed flight out of Thailand within 30 days of arrival.

A visa on arrival in Vietnam is only available to citizens of a few countries you should check.

Oh yes haha, I am from the UK.

I will be flying out from the same airport (Bangkok) within 31 days but will be leaving Thailand during that time to go to Cambodia, Vietnam and Laos so I won't be in Thailand for that amount of time.

It's so confusing. Sta travel is the company I am doing the tour with but they say they can't advice on visas.

If you have a British passport then you will get a visa exempt entry into Thailand (x2) and Vietnam (Check! *), Laos and Cambodia offer visas on arrival that are best bought in $US rather than Thai Baht.

* I think the Vietnamese visa exempt entries may be only on offer for a limited time best to check on line.

You can get visa exempt entry into Thailand.

Visa exempt entry for UK passport holders into Vietnam is currently available, but scheduled to cease on July 1st if not renewed. So, it depends on the date of your trip.

For Cambodia and Laos, you need a visa but they are issued efficiently at the borders. Best to use US$ to pay for the visas. The Cambodia border can be annoying, as there are a lot of scams around issuing of visas (including by the Cambodian officials themselves). I hope your tour will not be complicit in these scams.

Enjoy your trip!

Edited April 12, 201610 yr by BritTim

To begin, you would do well to let the forum members know which country's passport you will be using for travel. Each country may have different visa requirements for your nationality. As a US citizen, I have not had any problems getting a visa on arrival for Cambodia or Laos. You may even apply for a Cambodian visa online, but I don't recommend it. Thailand allows US citizens to enter for 30 days without obtaining a visa. I haven't been to Vietnam, so you can do a web search for their visa requirements for your nationality.

Just out of interest, why would you not recommend doing the Cambodian visa online? My wife and I (German/British passports) used this service in November; visas arrived within 48 hours, and went straight through Phnom Penh Airport without issue?

Thanks

To begin, you would do well to let the forum members know which country's passport you will be using for travel. Each country may have different visa requirements for your nationality. As a US citizen, I have not had any problems getting a visa on arrival for Cambodia or Laos. You may even apply for a Cambodian visa online, but I don't recommend it. Thailand allows US citizens to enter for 30 days without obtaining a visa. I haven't been to Vietnam, so you can do a web search for their visa requirements for your nationality.

Just out of interest, why would you not recommend doing the Cambodian visa online? My wife and I (German/British passports) used this service in November; visas arrived within 48 hours, and went straight through Phnom Penh Airport without issue?

Thanks

He will probably complain that the on line visa costs a few $ more !

To begin, you would do well to let the forum members know which country's passport you will be using for travel. Each country may have different visa requirements for your nationality. As a US citizen, I have not had any problems getting a visa on arrival for Cambodia or Laos. You may even apply for a Cambodian visa online, but I don't recommend it. Thailand allows US citizens to enter for 30 days without obtaining a visa. I haven't been to Vietnam, so you can do a web search for their visa requirements for your nationality.

Just out of interest, why would you not recommend doing the Cambodian visa online? My wife and I (German/British passports) used this service in November; visas arrived within 48 hours, and went straight through Phnom Penh Airport without issue?

Thanks

The Cambodia e-visa has the advantage of saving a page in your passport (a consideration for frequent travelers) and avoids possible aggravation dodging the visa scams at the border. However, it costs an extra $10, and saves little time.

I am arriving in Bangkok airport on 26th July and leaving Bangkok airport on 26th August. This is 32 days after I arrive in Bangkok.

I am spending 2 days in Bangkok then travelling to Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos then back to Thailand through the Laos/Thai border where I'll be in Thailand for around 4 nights. Then got my flight back on the morning of 26th August.

I am arriving in Bangkok airport on 26th July and leaving Bangkok airport on 26th August. This is 32 days after I arrive in Bangkok.

I am spending 2 days in Bangkok then travelling to Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos then back to Thailand through the Laos/Thai border where I'll be in Thailand for around 4 nights. Then got my flight back on the morning of 26th August.

Hope you enjoy what appears to be a very ambitious program

Think you'll need to have some passport photos for some of those visa on arrival, I could be wrong but best to be prepared.

Yes I've got some passport photos. I was just worried about whether I needed to get any visas in advance.

Does your passport get stamped everytime you leave a country whether it's through boat, train or airplane?

Yes I've got some passport photos. I was just worried about whether I needed to get any visas in advance.

Does your passport get stamped everytime you leave a country whether it's through boat, train or airplane?

Yes.

Every time you enter/exit a country no matter the mode of transportation.

All the countries you are visiting stamp your passport on both entry and exit. Ensure you have at least five empty pages in your passport to be on the safe side (visas for Cambodia, Laos and possibly Vietnam, plus 10 entry/exit stamps).

To begin, you would do well to let the forum members know which country's passport you will be using for travel. Each country may have different visa requirements for your nationality. As a US citizen, I have not had any problems getting a visa on arrival for Cambodia or Laos. You may even apply for a Cambodian visa online, but I don't recommend it. Thailand allows US citizens to enter for 30 days without obtaining a visa. I haven't been to Vietnam, so you can do a web search for their visa requirements for your nationality.

Quote:

"You may even apply for a Cambodian visa online, but I don't recommend it."

Could you elaborate on that statement. I have applied recently online and it was easy and painless and received the visa in my email in two days and saved 1 full page in my passport and the cost if i remember correctly was only $7.00 US more than applying at the border. The only dowfall i could find is that only about 3 or 4 of the Cambodian borders accept them. One of them being being Poipet.

Edited April 12, 201610 yr by Rayk

All the countries you are visiting stamp your passport on both entry and exit. Ensure you have at least five empty pages in your passport to be on the safe side (visas for Cambodia, Laos and possibly Vietnam, plus 10 entry/exit stamps).

I would imagine the OP to be a 'new' traveler in which case she should understand that a whole passport page is needed for each visa obtained and space is also needed for entry/exit stamps from each country visited.

I would guess that she has a pristine passport so there will be no problem with space .

Haha yes I have lots of space in my passport so I'm not worried about that.

Of what I can gather from this chat I don't need to get a visa for Thailand or Vietnam and I can get a visa for Cambodia and Laos at the border. I am going with STA travel in a group with a tour guide so I presume we will all we in the same boat and the tour guide will make sure we don't get scammed at the borders

To begin, you would do well to let the forum members know which country's passport you will be using for travel. Each country may have different visa requirements for your nationality. As a US citizen, I have not had any problems getting a visa on arrival for Cambodia or Laos. You may even apply for a Cambodian visa online, but I don't recommend it. Thailand allows US citizens to enter for 30 days without obtaining a visa. I haven't been to Vietnam, so you can do a web search for their visa requirements for your nationality.

Quote:

"You may even apply for a Cambodian visa online, but I don't recommend it."

Could you elaborate on that statement. I have applied recently online and it was easy and painless and received the visa in my email in two days and saved 1 full page in my passport and the cost if i remember correctly was only $7.00 US more than applying at the border. The only dowfall i could find is that only about 3 or 4 of the Cambodian borders accept them. One of them being being Poipet.

Correct there are a limited number of border crossings which will accept the "E" visa

https://www.evisa.gov.kh/

voa for laos and Cambodia, very easy and at all borders

the evisa ( visa online for Cambodia) costs you $10 more ( $40) and is NOT valid at all land borders.

Vietnam u need apply for a visa from an Embassy if your crossing overland

if your flying in you can get a pre -approved visa online ( same as Myanmar)

for uk passports for Vietnam visa free waver thru June 30th

From 1 July 2015 to 30 June 2016, all British passport holders travelling for tourism or business can enter Vietnam for up to a maximum of 15 days without a visa.

Land borders

There are a number of local crossing points on the borders with Cambodia and Laos which are for nationals of Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam only and so don’t allow British nationals to cross. Check locally before travelling to these points.

https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/vietnam/entry-requirements

Haha yes I have lots of space in my passport so I'm not worried about that.

Of what I can gather from this chat I don't need to get a visa for Thailand or Vietnam and I can get a visa for Cambodia and Laos at the border. I am going with STA travel in a group with a tour guide so I presume we will all we in the same boat and the tour guide will make sure we don't get scammed at the borders

We do not know yet if a visa will be required for Vietnam. Under current circumstances, visa exempt entry is available for UK passport holders. However, the current scheme is due to expire July 1st. We will probably not know until about June 20th whether visa exempt entry will be extended, though I consider it more likely than not.

As an inexperienced traveler, you need to understand tour guides, especially in countries like Thailand. They tend to be very nice, but are open to a lot of temptations. Their basic salary is very low. They make up some of this through tips, but more through commissions they receive in various ways. Most commonly, they will direct those under their care to overpriced retail and "wholesale" outlets. (Be very skeptical when your bus stops en route at some "wholesale" jewelry mart.) It is also more likely than not that they will be tempted by a quick $5 per traveler for participation in one of the Cambodia visa scams. You need to decide in advance if you will accept this. If you decide to hold out for the correct $30 price for the Cambodia visa, do so in a quiet and friendly fashion. Your tour guide is not becoming rich, merely making enough to give his/her family a better life.

STA can't advise on visas?

Time to find/use a different travel company.

Yes I've got some passport photos. I was just worried about whether I needed to get any visas in advance.

Does your passport get stamped everytime you leave a country whether it's through boat, train or airplane?

For Laos, and Cambodia you can get a visa on arrival at the border, Vietnam I'm not sure anymore but you can get it at the Vietnamese embassy in Bangkok In the wireless road...

https://www.google.co.th/maps/place/The+Embassy+of+the+Socialist+Republic+of+Vietnam/@13.740763,100.5473961,15z/data=!4m2!3m1!1s0x0:0x7f5c2f36004330b7

Best regards and enjoy the trip....

Just a word from experience...learn the money exchanges...or you will likely be taken advantage of...be aware of your surroundings...do not let some suspicious character lead you away from the beaten path to engage in sex, drugs, gambling or drinking...stay safe my friend...

You've had some good advice from people that are more expert than me. I think, to summarise, you have no issues re Thailand, should have no problems with Cambodia or Laos, so long as you have a couple of passport photos per country and need to keep an eye on the Vietnam situation. When I went to Vietnam in 2008 there was no visa exemption or on arrival, so I went to the embassy in London - quite an enjoyable experience actually. I'm pretty sure it was a case of filling in a form, attaching a passport photo, waiting a while, then paying and leaving everything with your passport and a self-addressed envelope and waiting about a week for it all to be posted back to you, with the visa in the passport. Hopefully you'll be able to avoid that, but, if it is necessary, it's not the end of the world.

Re your actual trip; you'll LOVE it!! You'll get to see and experience lots and the time is just about right. I know things will have changed a little since I was in Vietnam and since the last time I went to Cambodia, but I'd recommend taking some US Dollars, in small denominations with you. I took some $10, $5 and 100 $1 notes with me for three weeks in Vietnam and it was very handy. Cambodia too. At the end of the Vietnam trip, those going on to Cambodia were buying my left of $1 notes off me, as they'd been so handy. Even if you only take some $1 notes, I think you'll find it beneficial.

Good choice of countries for your trip - I personally can't wait to go back to Vietnam and Laos at some point. Enjoy! :-)

Haha yes I have lots of space in my passport so I'm not worried about that.

Of what I can gather from this chat I don't need to get a visa for Thailand or Vietnam and I can get a visa for Cambodia and Laos at the border. I am going with STA travel in a group with a tour guide so I presume we will all we in the same boat and the tour guide will make sure we don't get scammed at the borders

Which travel group are you going with? Although most groups will say that the Visa situation is your responsibility the tour leader will check your passport at the start of the tour (normally day 1) and if there are any issues bring them to your attention and proffer advice on possible solutions. Do check on-line re Visa requirements for Vietnam - this would appear to be your only possible problem

If Vietnam doesn't continue its visa free entry then get your visa in the UK otherwise you'll spend your first two days in Bangkok at the VN embassy and end up paying a high price to fast track your application.

Definitely get your Cambodian visa online. It's very simple and well worth the extra $7. It will also avoid the officials opportunity to scam you. If you're going through Poipet expect a long wait. It's intentionally done so that you can be scammed into paying 300 baht to be fast tracked. As for your tour guide being there stop you being scammed...there's every likelihood he will ask you to pay the fast track scam!! I used to do the Poipet crossing at least a few times a year but got really fed up with it. Far better to fly Bangkok to Siem Reap and if your timing is right it's not expensive on Airasia.

To begin, you would do well to let the forum members know which country's passport you will be using for travel. Each country may have different visa requirements for your nationality. As a US citizen, I have not had any problems getting a visa on arrival for Cambodia or Laos. You may even apply for a Cambodian visa online, but I don't recommend it. Thailand allows US citizens to enter for 30 days without obtaining a visa. I haven't been to Vietnam, so you can do a web search for their visa requirements for your nationality.

Just out of interest, why would you not recommend doing the Cambodian visa online? My wife and I (German/British passports) used this service in November; visas arrived within 48 hours, and went straight through Phnom Penh Airport without issue?

Thanks

I'm happy that you had a good experience with the Cambodia E-visa process. I traveled overland and found that the E-visa limited me on where I would be allowed entry. Fortunately, it seems that all the immigration checkpoints allow for a foreigner to exit. Further, the Cambodian E-visa website warns of impostor websites claiming to be the genuine article, however, one would have to have initially been on the correct website to receive the warning.

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Haha yes I have lots of space in my passport so I'm not worried about that.

Of what I can gather from this chat I don't need to get a visa for Thailand or Vietnam and I can get a visa for Cambodia and Laos at the border. I am going with STA travel in a group with a tour guide so I presume we will all we in the same boat and the tour guide will make sure we don't get scammed at the borders

We do not know yet if a visa will be required for Vietnam. Under current circumstances, visa exempt entry is available for UK passport holders. However, the current scheme is due to expire July 1st. We will probably not know until about June 20th whether visa exempt entry will be extended, though I consider it more likely than not.

If you can't get a visa-exempt entry into VN anymore after 1 July 2016, maybe you should

apply for a VN visa on-line, considering that you're going to spend only a few nights in BKK.

FYI, you'll need to show the IO an onward ticket if you fly into VN for a visa-exempt entry.

If Vietnam doesn't continue its visa free entry then get your visa in the UK otherwise you'll spend your first two days in Bangkok at the VN embassy and end up paying a high price to fast track your application.

Definitely get your Cambodian visa online. It's very simple and well worth the extra $7. It will also avoid the officials opportunity to scam you. If you're going through Poipet expect a long wait. It's intentionally done so that you can be scammed into paying 300 baht to be fast tracked. As for your tour guide being there stop you being scammed...there's every likelihood he will ask you to pay the fast track scam!! I used to do the Poipet crossing at least a few times a year but got really fed up with it. Far better to fly Bangkok to Siem Reap and if your timing is right it's not expensive on Airasia.

I have many times (over 10) got visa on arrival at Poi Pet, and never fallen for the "you must wait long time" line. It has never taken more than 10 minutes for a visa there (Hat Lek/Koh Kong is a different story). The Poi Pet border can be time consuming, but for checking in and out of Thailand/Cambodia, not getting the visa on arrival. That said, you need to know your rights. An e-visa for Cambodia is an option (basically, succumbing to a visa scam online rather than at the border, but with the advantage that it saves a page in your passport).